The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-10-13
A COUNCIL OF OLD FARMERS.
One of the Features Of the Coming State
Fair.

A COUNCIL OF OLD FARMERS.
One of the Features Of the Coming State
Fair.
s To the Editor of the News and Courier:
AS advertised in the Nc,os and Courier
of to.day's issue, the nineteenth annual
Fair Of the State Agricultural and Me.
chanical Society of South Carolina will
be opened in the city of Columbia ON
Tuesday, November the 9Th, 1887, and
continue four days. The State Fair is so
we'll known at this day and time, not
only throughout the entire State, but IN
many portions of the country at large,
that it would seem almost superAuous to
more than state the date of its occurrence
to secure for it's usual large attendance OF
all classes of our citizens. !,
desire on this occasion to simply call
your attention to one new feature that
will be original with this Fair, and that
is, to have during the Fair, say on
Wednesday, November 8, a meeting of
the old settlers of the State, delegation
of three from each county who have
made farming their principal business
for forty years. I can but believe that
such meeting will result in good to all
who will listen to these old farmers dis
cussing farming as it was half century
ago, as it is to-day, and as it can be in
the near future. Some valuable expert
ences may be heard, which will throw
some light on our troubled agricultural
matters. 1t may develop the fact that
all the agricultural glitter ofthe so. called.
byegone days was not all pure gold, and
| that the farmers of the early days Of this
century had troubles, disappoiutments
and failures that ne have never dreamed
of and that will make us think after all
our "lines are cast In pleasant places"
There will be much food for valuable
thought suggested by the experience Of
the members of such q meeting. Take q
delegate who has scored three quarters OF
the present century and his life will have
contained a large majority of the great
inventions and improvements, not only
| in agriculture, but in all the arts and
sciences of our age. AS an illustration,
when such delegate was born Fulton's
first steamboat was only five years old,
land very undeveloped affair at that:
lit took at that time three months, and
some times six, to cross the Atlantic, and
now week is being considered a tire.
some journey. When this delegate was
IL years old the first iron plough was
made and the farmers of that day shook
their heads and said: "It won't do, too
heavy" regular horse Killers" Now an
old time wooden plough stock would be
a genuine curiosity. What an interest.
| ing exhibit full line of agricultural
| tools and machinery used three quarters
of century ago would make by the side
of we'll equipped farm of to-day.
Our delegate could tell Us he was
eighteen years old when he went to see
the first train of cars that was run in
South Carolina. Now, excluding some
of her coast region; South Carolina has
as many miles Of railroad as any State in
the Union in proportion to her territory.
He was twenty one years old before he
ever saw or before there was such thing
as 8 lucifer match, and he had up to that
time been using his cumbersome tinder.
box. He had almost reached middle life
before science took charge of electricity
and the first telegraphic message was
sent. He could tell us about the time
when our grain crops we're cut with the
hand reap hook, then the grass. blade,
then the grain cradle, then the reaper,
/ and then the harvester, and now it
would seem that perfection was reached
in the Prairie Headers that cut, thrash
and sack the grain by one machine in
the field.
Equal improvements almost have been
made in handling our great cotton staple.
But these few items are mentioned only
to call attention to what an interest such
a meeting could give rise to, and how
suggestive the discussions might be made.
A place on the Fair Grounds will be
arranged for the meetings, and will
request Col. Crayton of Anderson, Col.
Watts of ofLaurens, Chancellor johnson of
Marion, Col. Beadon of Colleton, and
Col. McBee of Greenville, to act as a
committee to take charge of the meeting
and correspond with me as to pro.
SIamuo auu euSSCos WIG A6mo VI oou0
speakers. This is not intended to be
formal meeting, but one of actual expe.
riences and talks Of every day work.
Let the farmers in each county meet
as early as possible and select delega.
ton of three and forward their names to
me at Union, S. O., giving the point at
which they will take the railroad, as the
railroads have agreed to give these dele
gates special rates. I would urge cur
life members to take charge of this mat
ter in their respective counties and see
that the delegates are appointed at as
early q day as possible, so I will have
time. to arrange the transportation.
Columbia will see to it that some special
arrangement is made for entertaining the
delegates. / have been thinking of this
meeting for some time, but fearing it
might conflict with the meeting of the
Farmers Convention I had concluded to
give it up, but since that meeting has
been postponed until another time I am
anxious to make the effort to have this
one assemble, and that is my reason for
not giving earlier, notice. I will highly
appreciate any notice or aid kindly
extended by the country press for this
meeting, and can only express my regret
that the society is not in a condition to
send each of them paying advertise
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